Alarm and signaling device.



M. R. HUTCHISON.

ALARM AND SIGNALING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED 050.29, 1910.

ii. 1?3 5?"Y Patented Feb. 29, 1916.

WITNESSES: IIVI/ENTOI? R. HUTCHISON. ALARM AND SIGNALING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.29,.I910.

Patented Feb. 29, 916,

5 SHEETSSHEET 2.

W/T/VESSES:

M. R. HUTCHISON.

ALARM AND SIGNALING DEViCE. APPLICATION FILED DEC-29,1910.

1 173 557X Patented Feb. 29,1916.

5 SNEETSSHEET 3.

W. wW/ITTORNEY M. R. HUTCHISON.

ALARM AND SIGNALING DEVICE.

APPLICATION man 050.29, 1910.

Patented Feb. 29, 1916.

'.5 swans-swam 4.

WITNESSES:

M- R- HUTCHISON. ALARM AND SIGNALING DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED DEC.29| 910- I v v 1,1?3,577,- Patented Feb. 29, 1916.

dent of Deal Beach,

solidly holding a length of the MILLER REESE HUTCHISON,

OFFICE- OF IDEAL BEACH, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T0 LOVELL- ALARM AND SIGNALING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented. Feb. 2'9, 1916.

Application filed December 29, 1910. Serial No. 599,926.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I,M1LLER REESE Hn'roruson, a citizen of the United States, and resiin the.county of Monmouth and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Alarms and Signaling Devices, 0

which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to motor driven or power signals adapted for use on automobiles, launches, factories and wherever a signal of carrying power and insistent quality is desirable.

The signal constituting the present invention comprises a diaphragm, with which is typically associated a projector, resonator or amplifier, a toothed rotor for setting up diaphragm vibrations, a flexible shaft carrying the rotor and adapted for resilient lateral movement to and from the diaphragm, a motor or power means for rotating the shaft, and a solid cylindrical hearing at the end of the flexible shaft connecting with the motor. Such a bearing makes it possible to successfully operate by an electric motor, a resili-- ently mounted rotor, since it mechanically insulates the armature and commutator from the bodily moveu'ients and vibrations of the'flexible shaft, which would otherwise be communicated to the armature shaft and interfere with the proper operation of the motor.

In the simplest en-ibmliinents of the invention the elasticity of the flexible shaftis inherentdn the shaft itself. Here the cylindricalbearing has the further function 0' flexible shaft. Preferably the shaft solidly held at both end portions, in rigid journals preferably of greater diameter than the flexible portions so that those portions of the shaft remain in aliuement notwithstanding the bodily vibrations of the remainder of the shaft. Preferably, also, the rotor is rigidly secured to the shaft, as at the center thereof, by a connection, preferably a rigid sleeve, which duringoperation maintains an intermediate length of the shaft in parallelism with the solidly held end portions. These In the typical case several connections not only afford a durable and wear-resisting construction, but also greatlyaid in the elastic action of the shaft. of the shaft being solidly held at the ends and having a central portion held in-parallelism therewith, two outward curves and two reverse curves are formed in the shaft under running conditions, instead of a single outward or bowed curve which would result if the shaft were permitted to spring out of alinement at its ends and were connected to the rotor in such manner as to permit an uninterrupted bend of the center. If one only of these flexure-preventing connections pound curvature is still obtained though the number of bends is correspondingly reduced.

It has been proposed to make a campaign rattle with the diaphragm relatively stiff and the shaft relatively flexible so that the bodily movement of the rotor is great as compared with the movement of the diaphram or' anvil and the rotor is practically a cam operated spring tapper. The shaft being more flexible than the diaphragm is cammed away from the anvil by the rotation of the rotor in contact therewith; when one tooth slips off, the shaft springs back and the next tooth delivers a sharp blow on the anvil of the diaphragm. The shaft is again forced away and the hammering continues as long as the rotor turns.

In my impro ed signal the parts are so constructed and related that the hammering action is minimized or practically elimii nated. The shaft is rotated at high speed,

and the flexible shaft may be comparatively long, and the rotor may be comparatively heavy, whereby the natural period of the shaft is suppressed under working conditions and the shaft takes on a set or bow at maximum speed which lasts as long as the speed is maintained. In this construction and particularly if the rotor be provided with cam faces of low pitch there will be little vibratory movement of the shaft at each individual cam,contact, the cam will assume a position of flexure normally constantso long as the speed is mamtamed, and

are employed, comvibration of the diaphragm will be mainly due to the successive cam surfaces ,cammmg 'the diaphragm outward, the action being more like that of a true cam with a normallyunyielding but automatically self-adjusting axis. In this case the rotor is initially forced outward. by the diaphragm until. it acquires the set ornormally constant running position, after which the rotor axis remains practically fixed so long as the speed is maintained. Thus, a sustained note may be obtained by the resulting bodily vibrations of the diaphragm,which is quite different from that resulting from the vibratory tapping previously referred to. 7 Between these limits of' maximum shaft vibration and maximum diaphragm vibration in response to -the camming contacts, there is alarge range of specific constructions in which the diaphragm-camming action predominates in varying degrees, or in which there is about as much, of one as the other.

1 In thedrawings illustrating some of the a possible embodiments of the invention: Figshowing forms of signal in which elastic, the flexible shaft;

means are associated with and Fig. 7 is a sectional plan-of the signal shown in Fig. 6, the'rotor illustrated being of a form which may be used in the signals shown in Figs. 1, 4: and 6.

Similar lar characters of reference throughout the views.

In Figs. 1 and 2 the numeral 10 indicates a suitable casing for containing the flexible shaft 12 and the rotor 11 and for holding the diaphragm 13; 14 is a resonator or amplifier secured to the casing in front of the diaphragm; and 15 is an incased electric motor secured to the casing 10 for driving the flexible shaft. This motor may be of suitable desigm'preferably like that used for the well known Klaxon' warning signal and disclosed in my Patent No. 1,160,900 issued November 16th, 1915. The motor cas ing is preferably connected to the casing 10 by means of a screw-threaded neck 16 on the 60 former which engages with an internally threaded boss 17 on the latter. A lock nut 18 is threaded on the neck 15 and serves to hold the parts in proper relation. The flexible shaft 12 here shown is in the nature of an elastic rod or wire. The"rotor 11 is a parts may be designated by simiis reduced and the inertia increased.

phragm 13 is preferably considerably larger disk having a sleeve or hub 19 which is rigidly secured to the middle of the shaft, as by a driving fit, brazing or otherwise. The

rotor isthus rigidly connected to a length,

' bending of the latter. The end lengths of the shaftare rigidly held by cylindrical bearings so as to be at all times in alinement. The upper bearing consistsof a cylindrical journal 20 having a bore 1n which the end length of the shaft is rigidly secured, Y

and a cylindrical bearing proper 21, which is preferably in the nature of a cap threaded into an opening in the top of the casing 10. The diaphragm 13 carries an anvil 27,

, which is preferably substantially V-shaped as shown in Fig. 3. The teeth 28 of the rotor in this form of the invention are preferably of wide V-shape.

The shaft 12 is directly connected to the armature shaft 26, so that, in this instance,

the armature shaft constitutes the cylindrical journal for the lower end of the flexible shaft, and the. unyielding cylindrical bearing is the bearing in the neck 16. Thus, there is had-a flexible shaft and a rigid shaft secured together end to end, the former carrying the rotor, and the latter protectin the motor from bodily vibrations. In this form of signal the neck 16: may be screwed upward into the .casinglO- until the top journal 20 just bottom's in the bearing cap 21, when the lock nut 18 can be set so as to hold the shaft in such manner that it normally has no flexure.

The rotor 11 is preferably provided with teeth 28 of the 'form shown in Fig. 3, and the anvil 27 is preferably correspondingly formed as shown in that view, so'that the action of the teeth is to produce a relative movement between the shaft and the diaphragm in a direction that is normal to the diaphragm. In this form of signal the flexible shaft 12 is preferably comparatively, 115

long and the rotor 11 is preferably comparativelv heavy, so that the factor of e asticity The diathan in Fig. 1 so as to have greater flexibility but is still stiffer than the shaft 12. ;In

"this form of signal, the shaft 12 and the rotor 11 are revolved at a speed which is high as compared with the natural rate of vibration of the shaft and rotor. Thus, when the rotor is set in motion the shaft is cammed away from the diaphragm by the reaction due to the teeth 28 riding over the anvil, and at the outset there may be a definite hammering action; but this may be regarded as ceasing or growing slight as the speed increases and the shaft acquires a bowed or. set position, which persists as long as the rotation at maximum speed continues, the reason being that the speed is so high that the shaft has not sufficient time to snap back to produce the typicalhammering or tapping action. The shaft 12 at the maximum speed may be regarded as yielding very slightly if at all under the successive contacts of the teeth with the anvil, the teeth acting largely or mainly to cam the diaphragm repeatedly outward. In this way the flexible shaft is self-adjusting to a position where the rotor acts substantially as a driver of the dia phragm, or where the driving is in greater or less degree mutual.

In the form of $1 gnal shown in Fig. 4e the cylindrical journal 22 at the lower end of u the flexible shaft 12 forms part of, or is rigidly secured to, a gear 24$ which meshes with a pinion 25 on the upper end of the armature shaft 26. The pinion 25" and the gear 24) constitute a reducing gearing. The rotor teeth and anvil in this form of signal are preferably of the form shown in Fig. 7. This view illustrates a case in which the camming ofthe diaphragm and shaft is mutual, so that each engagement of a tooth with the anvil is partly a blow and partly a camming action.

In both of the forms of signal 'so far described the flexible shaft has been solidly held at its end portions in cylindrical journals turning in fixed cylindrical bearings, and its middle length has been rigidly secured to a sleeve on the rotor. Under these conditions the shaft when running assumes the compound curvature illustrated in exaggerated form in Fig. :2, with its end lengths straight and in alinement, its middle length straight and parallel with the end lengths,

and a compound curve formed in each portion between the middle and end lengths. As already described, these connections at the ends and middle of the shaft greatly increase its durability and wear-resisting powers, besides holding the parts in true relation, and enables the stilfness of the shaft to be increased without necessitating shortening of the shaft or increasing its weight.

In Fig. 5 I.have illustrated a signal in which the flexible shaft 12* is reduced to half lei-lgth, the rotor 11 being fixed to the 7 upper end portion of the shaft. The lower end portion of the shaft is solidly held in a cylindrical journal constituting the armature shaft 26. as in Fig. 1. The rotor 11 is held in truerelation to-the anvil 27 during its vibratory movements by means of a yoke 30 having bearings which encircle the shaft,

I preferably immediately above and below the rotor, and being pivotally supported, as on bracket lugs 31 projecting from the interior Walls of the casing 10. The upper end length 125 of the shaft, may be rigid, coninherent elasticity. I have illustrated it as being without inherent elasticity, being the special form of universally flexible shaft formed from a spiral. In either event I may provide a spring connected to the shaft, for normally drawing the shaft toward the diaphragm. This spring is shown for purposes of illustration as being secured at one end to the yoke 30 and at the other end to a bracket projecting from the lower bracket lug 81. If the shaft 12 possesses inherent elasticity this spring may serve to compensate for the omission for the upper half of the shaft. If the shaft is flexible without possessing elasticity, then the spring supplies the necessary elasticity to cause the shaft to vibrate.

Figs. 6 and 7 show a similar construction to the .last except that the rotor shaft is rendered flexible by universal joints 84. 26 is an armature shaft as before, towhich may be secured the axial lower section 12 of the rotor shaft, of which the middle section 12 is free to oscillate and the upper section 12 is held in parallelism with the lower section 12 by reason of the pivoted yoke 30. In

this case also the s irin 32 sn 7 )lies the elasticity whereby the rotor flies back against the anvil to deliver a blow after each reaction-produced movement away from the diaphragm. In both this and the preceding case the spring 32 is less elastic than the diaphragm. so that the rotor has more tendency to yield under the camming action than the diaphragm.

In the several forms of the invention a cylindrical journal or rigidly held portion at the lower end of the flexible rotor shaft onables the shaft and rotor to be driven successfully by the electric motor, since the armature and cmnmutator of the latter are ill-- sulated from the bodily vibrations of the flexible shaft and rotor.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letward and from the diaphragm, said rotor being formed or provided with a plurality of actuator elements approximately equidistant radially from the axis of rotation of said shaft, a rigid cylindrical journal rigmediate said journals, unyielding cylindrical bearings receiving said journals, and a motor having driving connection with said shaft.

4. A signal, comprising a diaphragm, a shaft consisting of an elastic rod free to flex toward and from said diaphragm, rigid journals of greater diameter than said rod rigidly receiving and holding lengths" of said shaft in a'linement, a-rotor adapted to set up diaphragm-vibrations carried by said shaft intermediate said journals, unyielding bearingsreceiving said journals, and power means for driving said shaft.

5. A signal, comprising adiaphragm, a rotor adapted to set up diaphragm-vibrations, a shaft carrying the rotor, consisting of an elastic rod free to flex with reference to the diaphragm, a solid cylindrical journal of greater diameter than said rod rigidly receiving a length of said shaft, and power means for driving the shaft, said'rod and rotor being approximately balanced.

6. A signal, comprising a diaphragm, a rotatable shaft flexible throughout and free to flex with reference to the diaphragm, bearings holding the end lengths of said shaft in alinement and against flexure, a rotor for setting up diaphragm-vibrations carried by an intermediate part of said shaft, and power means for driving said shaft.

7. A signal, comprising a diaphragm, a shaft flexible throughout its body and free to flex with reference to the diaphragm, bearings holding the end lengths of said shaft in alinement and against flexure, a rotor for setting up diaphragm-vibrations, being fixed to said shaft and having means for maintaining an intermediate length thereof against flexure and in parallelism with the endlengths, and a motor having driving connection with said shaft at one of its solidly held end lengths.

8. A signal comprising a diaphragm, a

comparatively heavy rotor free to move toward and from said diaphragm and provided with a plurality of spaced projections 9. A signal, comprising a diaphragm, a

flexible shaft free to vibrate with reference to-the diaphragm, a rotor fixed to said shaft and formed or provided with a plurality of spaced teeth or projections for setting up diaphragmvibrations, a motor for driving the shaft and means for holding portions of the shaft against flexure and causing an other portion to assume a compound curvature with said rotor in a position more remote from the diaphragm, due to repulsive reaction between the diaphragm and rotor.

10. A signal, comprising a diaphragm, a flexible shaft free to vibrate with reference to the diaphragm, a comparatively heavy rotor fixed to said shaft and formed or provided with a plurality of spaced teeth-or projections for setting up diaphragm vibrations, and power means for driving the shaft at high speed, said shaft and rotor being of such flexibility and inertia as to acquire a continuous curvature wlth sald rotor in a position more remote from the diaphragm due to repulsive reaction between the diaphragm and rotor. a.

11. A signal, comprising a diaphragm, a flexible shaft adapted for resilient lateral movement toward and from the diaphragm, a rotor adapted to set up diaphragm-vibra-' tions carried by an intermediate portion of the shaft, rigid cylindrical journals secured to the ends of said shaft, an unyielding cylindrical bearing receiving one of said jour'- nals and having an end-thrust surface, said bearing being longitudinally adjustable, an unyielding cylindrical bearing for the other journal, and means for adjusting said other journal longitudinally in its bearing and looking it in adjusted position against axial movement.

12. A signal comprising a flexible -diaphragm, a flexible shaft supported at both ends, a comparatively heavy rotor'fixed to said shaft and formed or provided with a plurality of spaced teeth or projections for setting up diaphragm vibrations and power means for driving the shaft at high speed,

said shaft and rotor being of such flexibility and inertia in respect to the flexibility and natural period of bodily vibration of said diaphragm as to cause said shaft to assume a continuous curvature with the axis of said rotor, substantially stationary in a position New York, and State of New York, this more remote from the diaphragm than the 23rd day of December, A. D. 1910.

axis of the terminal portions of the shaft, I MILLER REESE HUTCHISON. due to repulsive reaction between the dia* Witnesses: 5 phragm and rotor. GEORGE C. DEAN,

Signed at New 'York city, in the county of IRVING M. OBRIEGHT. 

